Dual Purpose Stretcher Bar

All of the Gallery Stretchers can handle most stretcher bars with some notable exceptions. There are several large print shops that have started to use stretcher bars with a double-radius, as pictured below.  Our “old style” stretcher blocks were able to handle this style of stretcher bar, however, they were known to hang-up beneath the stretcher plate from time to time. Our new stretcher blocks are lower by about 3/16″ and the slotted bracket extends further down almost flush with the stretcher bar.

The following (3) diagrams illustrate the problem and the solution. All new machines produced after 2014 come with the new style stretcher blocks and folded slotted brackets. The new style stretcher blocks and slotted brackets will work without any modifications necessary.

Another stretcher bar that you might encounter an issue with is one with a “rabbet”on the inside of the frame.